Facebook Friends Help Man Get Repossessed Car Back

PARKER, Colo. (CBS4) – A battle to get a slain mother’s repossessed car back is over.

Denise Fransua was killed by an ex-fiancé in a murder suicide last month. Her car was taken into police custody and later repossessed by Toyota.

“I was in shock,” Fransua’s son Aaron Knudsen said. “That was the last thing I expected them to do.”

A weight has just been lifted off Knudsen’s shoulders.

“When you think the loan was $200 a month; that’s a lot to come up with all of a sudden,” he said.

Along with the grief he was left with several bills, including his mom’s car payment. The Toyota had been taken into evidence but was repossessed. Toyota told him he had to come up with the full balance of $3,400.

“The last couple days have been very stressful. How am I going to come up with all this money?”

The car is a special reminder of his mom.

“She has her gym bag in there and her gloves and everything that made my mom who she is.”

Knudsen’s ordeal went viral after his frustrations were posted on Facebook. Hundreds of people commented leaving posts like “Shame on you Toyota.” That prompted the company to apologize to the family. But in a phone call Knudsen got more than just an apology.

“We’re also going to forgive the loan balance your mom had and were also going to deliver the car to your house in Parker,” a Toyota spokesperson told Knudsen.

He knows without his Facebook friends it wouldn’t have been possible.

“They took the time to republish and repost and so I want to thank everyone for doing this.”

And he’s grateful for Toyota as well.

“I’m really happy that they want to make good on everything and I’m thankful for them as well.”

It is rude, her son didn’t ask for them to forgive the loan but because they practiced poor business ethics, it was taken from them unfairly and even after a payment was made in good faith to finish paying the loan himself. Her death shouldn’t be memoralized by trival decisions such as theirs. Aaron did what he had to and the outcome turned out for the best and I’m glad Toyota showed a very different side and forgave the loan. I’m very proud of the fact that her son is taking care of her, even after she’s gone.